Massaging vibrator



April 23, 1935. H, PYLEs 1,998,522

MASSAGING VIBRATOR Filed July s, 1935 INVENTOR.

icald ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES MASSAGING VIB B ATOB Richard H. Pylcs, Los Angela, cum, assignor of one-half to Samuel M. Bernstein, Huntington Park, Calif.

Application July 3, 1933, Serial No. 678,888

4Clniml.

This invention relates to massaging and vibrating devices of the mechanically driven type and particularly to a device which is capable of producing a compound motion consisting of a vi- 5 bratory massaging movement.

Among the salient objects of applicant's invention is the provision of one or more devices adapted to act on a body for effecting a treatment thereof, said devices being mounted for vibrating movement, with means acting thereon for simultaneously producing a rocking movement thereof.

Another object is the provision of a device of the character referred to, which can be conveniently embodied in a foot treating apparatus for imparting vibrations to the feet and lower limbs of the body, and which is characterized by such a motion that an effective massaging of the feet can be acquired by passing them over said device, and by the application of a minimum of pressure thereon.

A further object is to provide a simple compact and efflcient device for treating the feet and which includes two massaging vibrators of the character referred to, with inclined foot receiving members in alignment therewith, whereby the operator can, while seated, rest his heels on said inclined foot rests as he moves his feet back and forth across the massaging vibrators.

Still another object is the provision of a massaging and vibrating device which is eccentrically supported for vibrating movement on a revolubie member, with yielding means acting on said device for simultaneously efiecting a rocking move-- ment thereof.

This invention possesses many other advantages and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of one embodiment thereof. For this purpose I have shown one form in the accompanying drawing and forming part of the present specification. I shall now proceed to describe this form in detail, which illustrates the general principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my massaging vibrator embodied in a machine for treating the feet and lower limbs of the body.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof and Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated byline 3--3 of Figure 2.

For explanatory purposes I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a device for treatin the feet and lower limbs of the body. In the drawing, numeral III is a housing enclosing an electric motor H, which is secured thereto as by the aid of bolts i2l2. The motor shaft l3 extends through slots H-Il in opposite ends of the housing III and has mounted on either end thereof for vibrating movement, massaging vibrators generally designated iv5l5, which will hereinafter be more fully described. Said massaging vibrators are actuated upon rotation of the motor shaft. Current may be supplied to the motor II from any suitable source as by leads 15a.

Applicant might in certain instances employ a variable speed motor or other variable speed device for varying the rate of vibration of the massaging vibrators without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 best show the means of mounting the massaging vibrators -15 on the motor shaft. Inasmuch as both members are of the same construction and similarly mounted, only one is shown and described. A bushing I6 is eccentrically mounted on the reduced end of the motor shaft it and secured thereto by a key it. The motor shaft has a shoulder it against which one end of the bushing bears, said bushing being also provided with a flange it! as shown in Fig-= ure 3. The lower end of the massaging vibrator it has a hub portion 2t with an opening there through which accommodates the bushing 86 and permits free relative rotative movement between said bushing and the member is. However, the member i5 is held against axial movement on said bushing as by the aid of the flange it there= on and a Washer 25, which is secured to the end of the motor shaft :3 by a screw 22 passing therethrough and into the shaft end. A messag ing or work-head 23 is provided at the upper end of the massaging vibrator it upon which the operators foot rests and over which he may move the same to obtain the desired treatment.

In addition to the vibrating movement imparted to the member 15 due to its eccentric mounting on the motor shaft, applicant has produced a compound motion which is novel so far as he is aware of. Such motion'includes not only an up-and-down movement of the member I5 but also an arcuate and rocking movement thereof. It should be readily apparent how such a combination of movements produces excellent massaging efiects.

Applicant accomplishes the movement heretofore described by providing a coiled spring member in substantially longitudinal alignment with the member l5, one end of said spring being securely anchored and the other end secured to the member I 5. Applicant prefers to use a stiff closed coiled spring 24 for the above purpose. One end of said spring enters an opening 25 in the intermediate enlarged portion 26 of the massaging vibrator l5 and is held therein by a set screw 21. The opposite end of the spring is securely held between two clamping members 28 and 29. Said members are provided with semicircular openings in their adjacent faces which are cooperative for receiving the coiled spring 24, all of which is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. A. bolt 30 serves to secure the clamping members together for rigidly anchoring the coil spring. Thus it will be seen that the coiled spring 24 is adjustably connected at both ends thereof.

The operator is usually seated when using the device. Accordingly, it is preferable to position the massaging vibrators i5-l5 at an angle as shown clearest in Figure 2. However the angular position of said members may be conveniently varied at will by adjusting the length of the coiled spring members 24.

Applicant has found it advantageous to provide spaced inclined foot rests ill-3i upon which the operator's heels may rest as he moves his feet over the massaging or work; heads of the massaging vibrators |5l5. Heel receiving portions 32--32 are provided at the base of the inclined foot rests 31-3! for holding the feet in place when it is desired to treat the forward ends of the feet, as for instance the toesor the balls of the feet.

The entire machine is supported on feet 33-43 which are adapted to rest on a rubber cushion or the like for taking up the vibration.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a revoluble member, a vibrating and massaging element pivotally and eccentrically connected to said revoluble member and having a work-head thereon, and a coiled spring stationarily anchored at one end and having'its other end connected with said element intermediate its work-head and point of support.

2. In a device of the character described, a revoluble member, power means for rotating said member, a massaging vibrator having one end pivotally and eccentrically connected to said revoluble member and having a massaging head on the other end thereof over which the foot is adapted to be moved during its vibrating movement, a stationary foot rest for supporting the foot as it is moved over said massaging vibrator and means for yieldingly supporting said vibrator in various angular positions on said revoluble member, which comprises a flexible holding member adjustably anchored at one end and connected with said massaging vibrator.

3. In a device of the character described, a revoluble member, power means for rotating said member, a massaging vibrator pivotally and cocentrically connected to said revoluble member and having a massaging head thereon upon which the footis adapted to rest during its vibrating movement, a stationary foot rest cooperative with said massaging head, and means for yieldingly supporting said massaging vibrator in operative position on said revoluble member, which comprises a flexible holding member anchored at one end and connected with said massaging vibrator.

4. In a device of the character described, a supporting base having two inclined foot rests, a shaft with means for driving it, a pair of massaging vibrators pivotally and eccentrically mounted on said shaft and provided with massaging heads positioned adjacent said inclined foot rests whereby to provide cooperative movable and stationary supports for the feet, and means for yieldingly supporting said massaging vibrators in operative position on said revoluble shaft, which comprises flexible holding members connected at one end to each of said massaging vibrators, the other ends of said holding members being anchored to said base.

RICHARD H. PYLES. 

